Right behind you
by MorningSunElke
Summary: Temari hears about Asuma's death and rushes over to Konoha. There she finds a completely broken down Shikamaru. Based on episode 82 of Naruto shippuuden and a YouTube video from Childeatheart17 ShikaTema oneshot! Please Read and Review.


**Right behind you**

**This is my first attempt to a ShikaTema oneshot. The idea came to me one night and it wouldn't leave me alone. It's inspired by a music video on youtube (Kissed by a Rose) and basically it is episode 82 of the anime (the one where Shikamaru breaks down) but seen through the eyes of a ShikaTema fangirl. I hope you like it. Please read and review. **

**General disclaimer: Naruto ****belongs to Masashi Kishimoto**

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"Why are you here?"

"I told you, I was in the neighbourhood and I wanted to give you my condolences for the loss of Asuma sensei."

"That's not what I meant. I mean; why are you _here_, with me? I would think you'd go to see Shikamaru first, aren't you friends?"

Temari twitched. "I… I should go!"

"Temari, wait!"

Temari stopped, but refused to look back at Ino.

"Talk to me, Tem. Did you see him last night?"

"I … He…He wasn't home"

Ino shook her head. "Please don't lie. His mother told me this morning. She said you came all the way from Suna, for him. What happened?"

"Nothing happened." Temari's voice was barely above a whisper now.

"Temari …" Ino was shocked. Over the years, she and Temari had become some sort of friends. Everybody thought it was just plain weird, but for some reason it worked. They confided in one another and were there for each other. But never, in all this time, had Ino heard this tone of voice come from Temari. So fragile, so sad

"Would you please look at me?" Ino asked. "Please?"

Reluctantly Temari turned around to face Ino. Now Ino was defiantly shocked, never had she seen Temari likes this. Temari was always the one saying tears were for weaklings, she was the one that had scolded everyone for showing weakness. But here she was; eyes red and swollen and tears sliding down her face. Ino ran towards Temari and pulled her into a hug. This only caused Temari to completely break down in sobs.

"I couldn't do anything… I …"

"Sssh, it's okay. Tell me what happened."

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO **FLASHBACK** OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"I'M NOTHING BUT A USELESS COWARD!"

Shikamaru's voice could even be heard outside. Temari froze. She had never heard him speak like that. Where did he get so much anger from?

"No" His father calm voice was heard too, but softer. Temari decide to move closer.

"THEN WHAT IS IT?"

"Let it out"

Temari was now at the door. She could barely make out the silhouettes of Shikamaru and his father. She had wanted to come and comfort Shikamaru. That was her first and only reason forcomming to Konoha in the first place. But now, seeing him there, she could move. She stayed where she was, just behind the door.

"Let out all the sadness, fear and anger that's building up inside you. That's the first step"

Temari heard footsteps coming closer. As Shikamaru's father opened the door, she could hear Shikamaru sobbing, struggling to stay strong.

She was quickly pulled out of her trance when Shikaku stood in front of her. He was not surprised, for he had heard Yoshino mention that she was coming. 'Though, he realised now, he had forgotten to tell Shikamaru. But Temari's attention was brought back to Shikamaru when she heard his sobs were getting bigger and the first tears were streaming down his face. Just then, he completely broke down, a loud cry of agony filled the entire Nara household. Temari's heart started to break as she fell to her knees, crying alongside Shikamaru.

"I'll pick up the pieces."

That was all he said. Temari didn't know whether he was addressing her or if he was talking to himself, but before she could even ask, he was gone.

Another cry

Temari saw Shikamaru fall to his knees. She wanted to just run inside and hold him tight. She wanted to comfort him; she wanted to be there for him. But she didn't.

Before she knew it, she was running away, away from the Nara home, to the small meadow on the outskirts of Konoha; their spot. It was the place they would go and watch clouds together. It was there that she had realised her feelings for the shadow shinobi. She wondered if he knew about it. She still acted the same around him, but somehow he was changing her.

Her brothers were starting to notice. They even forbade her to come to Konoha now, but she wouldn't hear it. She needed to see him. After she heard of Asuma's loss, she knew how lost he'd be. She ran to Konoha in just two days. Exhausted from running without food or sleep, she had arrived at nightfall. Realising she still hasn't eating or slept, she sat down on the cold grass and fell asleep.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO **END FLASHBACK** OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

"And when I woke up, I came to see you." Temari finished her story.

Ino had been quiet the whole time, she knew Shikamaru would be broken, but she never imagined it would be this bad. And when she heard Temari's confession about liking Shikamaru, she wasn't really shocked about it (off course she'd already figured it out) but she never expected Temari to say it out loud.

Temari recovered fairly quick and made her way towards the door again. As she stood in the doorframe, she look around one more time, facing Ino with a serious expression on her face.

"Ino, could you do me a favour? If I know Shikamaru, and I think I do, he won't let this pass. He'll seek revenge."

Ino didn't know where Temari was going with this, but she remained silent and listened.

"He'll need you, and Chouji. He'll come to you." Temari sighed.

"Go with him, protect him. Be there for him."

"But why can't you-"

"He doesn't need me, Ino. Please make sure he's alright! You have to be the one beside him now. Be the happy, cheerful girl you always are. That's what he needs."

"But what about you?" Ino shouted "You came all this way for him, and you're just going to leave again, without him even knowing you were here?" Ino had walked over to Temari and gripped her shoulders. "Don't run away Tem!"

"I won't…" A silence build up between them. Temari was the one to break it again. "I'll come with you. But without him knowing it

I'll be the wind at your backs. While you'll be the one standing beside him, I'll be the one standing behind him, pushing him forwards."

"Why can't he know? I don't understand…" Ino looked into Temari's eyes.

"You're his teammate, and this is something Team 10 has to do. I have to respect that. But all I want is for him to be safe. Will you do that for me?"

"Yes. I will."

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It was around high noon, and Temari and Ino were busy praying for Asuma. Ino sat in front of her little altar while Temari was sitting in a corner behind her. But then they got interrupted by the voice of Ino's father.

"Ino, come here. Shikamaru is coming over."

Ino looked at Temari, who just smiled.

"Don't worry about me. Just go. And don't forget your promise."

"I won't!" Ino jumped up and ran towards the door.

"Shikamaru," Temari could hear Ino talking to Shikamaru. "We're doing this, right?"

Temari couldn't hold back the smile that formed on her face. Ino could always do that to people. Her happy voice always put a smile on everybody's faces. Temari just knew, even without seeing him, that Shikamaru was smiling too.

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The next morning she heard Team 10 had already left, with Kakashi as their substitute captain.

She never wanted to stay behind, but she knew this is where she needed to be. She packed her bags and went back to Suna. There she would wait until Shikamaru called her out and told her what had happened. She would act surprised, as if she didn't hear anything. Because she didn't want him to know that she was behind him the entire time, looking out for him.

THE END

**A/N: Okay, me again. I really want to know what you guys think of this story. Just for the record, I know Temari is probably nowhere near Konoha in episode ****82, that part is made up. I just sort of pushed Temari into the corners so you can imagine she's there while watching the episode. **

**And for those who are wondering what my opinion on ShikaIno is; let me just say I don't like the pairing but I like Ino. She'd make a good friend to Temari,**

**as long as she keeps her hands off Shikamaru. **

**I guess this could be viewed more as a Temari – Ino friendship fic, but I would still like to stress the ShikaTema elements here, even though they don't really interact. **

**Don't worry, I'll stop talking now. But I'll ask you guys again. PLEASE review!! **


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